


Waves

by Dau_hu



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Beaches, Day At The Beach, Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Nostalgia, One Shot, Post-Season/Series 07, Trauma, Waves, a bit of anxiety, minor appearances - Freeform, slight fear of water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 14:39:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16725333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dau_hu/pseuds/Dau_hu
Summary: After the final battle with the unknown robeast, the Voltron crew decides to have a fun day at the beach while there is still a period of peace. However, it's just the opposite for Keith, who is slightly apprehensive of the waves, which conjures up a bit of anxiety. Of course, Shiro is there to calm him down.





	Waves

**Author's Note:**

> The premise of this one-shot is a reflection of how the beach can feel for me sometimes. It's seemingly peaceful and perpetual nature can make me dwell on just about anything -good or bad! 
> 
> Thank you 1izardwizard for beta reading!

 

The overcast gently burned with the sun rising at high noon, slowly illuminating the grim waters with subtle sparkles that rode the waves. The seemingly placid outlook was disrupted by a crash of waves near the pier that brought Keith’s attention back from the mesmerizing, distant horizon. 

 

“Did you see that?! This is Surf City, USA for a reason!” Lance yelled as he ran toward the coast, encouraging the rest of the crew to trek quickly across the sand. Keith watched as the team ran past him, soon becoming specks of tan and bright colors bobbing in the water. He didn’t understand the appeal - where was the sense of quiet in the middle of the sweltering summer crowd and incessant crashing waves. 

 

Keith set up the beach umbrella near the top of the sand right in front of the reach of the waves. He patted the beach towels down and slowly reclined on his side, putting on some shades as he wistfully watched the rest of the crew.

 

Pidge and Hunk were explaining to Allura and Coran the possibilities of engineering - with sand, the sparkle in their eyes giving away their plans for potentially sculpting Voltron itself. Keith chuckled at that prospect, considering how Allura and Coran were already busy filling their small, childish buckets with sand far too dry for any construction. Meanwhile, Lance and Shiro were already far out in the ocean, positioned to catch the next wave. 

 

He didn’t get it, though, didn’t get the appeal of the ocean. It was constantly changing, with murky waters. In a way, the ocean itself was the final frontier for Keith -not space. The perpetual crashing of the waves were just so easy to get lost in, and it was certainly not something he could maneuver easily through as he could in Red. It didn’t matter what the others were doing; it was all blocked out by the overwhelming roar of the waves and the sudden roar of Black crashing into the hardpan surface below. 

 

That’s right, it wasn’t so long ago when he had thought that they were all done for. Perhaps it was just a placebo effect, but his head throbbed as he remembered the bitter relief after they had defeated that foreign robeast. Again, that seemingly mindless nature of the ocean catalyzed a million other thoughts.The roar of Macidus before he was impaled by Keith’s own blade (all the lives he’s taken and lost- but this is a war), of hundreds of clones of Shiro all falling into an abyss (and he would’ve saved everyone of them), of the small galra fighter diving straight into Naxzela (what he probably will never regret and  will continue to consider until someone stops him), of the- 

 

Keith jolted as he felt  a grainy, wet hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to Allura’s bright blue eyes.

“Keith, come down to the ocean with us! You must help us if we ever plan on sculpting Voltron!” Allura said as she already started to drag him onto his feet, trudging closer and closer to the water. Upon just feeling the moisture of the sand stick between his toes, Keith reverted. 

 

“Please, Allura. I’m fine,” he weakly defended, too focused on his proximity to the waves climbing their way up his legs. Lance and Shiro had come up to shore as well, giving their insights on the construction of Black and Blue. 

 

“Hey Mullet, we didn’t drag you to the beach for you to sit in the shade, have some fun in the sun y’know!” Lance yelled as he ran toward the pair and grabbed onto Keith’s other hand to also pull him down to the rest of the crew.

 

“Lance, I really don’t-” Keith panicked as he forcefully yanked both his arms away from Allura and Lance. The look on their faces made him regret it instantly. He looked to Coran, then Pidge and Hunk for some sympathy, but he could only perceive shame in that moment. He slowly panned to Shiro and recognized the disappointed, almost pitying look that he remembered well from his childhood. 

 

He let out a deep breath before quietly apologizing and dismissing himself. He trekked back to their spot, putting on his button up and leaving without another word. Before anyone could say anything, Shiro was already on his way up too. 

 

“I can handle this - just keep sculpting the sand,” Shiro said, clearly distracted by Keith’s distress. Soon, though, he caught up with him. The rest of the Voltron crew just watched the two figures walk towards the pier together.

  
  


* * *

  
  


“Wait Keith!” Shiro yelled as he trudged through the warm, sinking sand to reach Keith. He saw his figure slightly pause, giving him a moment to catch up. 

 

“What’s wrong, Keith?”

 

“Nothing. Shiro. Really, I’m fine.”

 

“Fine, storming away from the beach?”

 

“No, really, I just got caught up with some things,” Keith reluctantly replied, and somehow Shiro could always piece together that tone. 

 

“I guess you could say caught up in the waves?” Shiro said, trying to finish what Keith had trouble explaining, but he knew he was spot-on after seeing that small look of acknowledgement from Keith. 

 

“Here, I want to show you something,” Shiro said as he quickly stepped forward and grasped Keith’s hand, leading him towards the pier. 

 

All Keith could focus on was the warmth of Shiro’s hand, watching him lead him to what seems like safety. Soon, they arrive at the start of the pier, and Keith could feel the sudden relief of the solid wood planks beneath his feet.

 

“Quite a different experience up here isn’t it?” Shiro asked, slowly urging Keith to walk down the length of the pier with him. Keith takes a look around at the crowd that in a way anchors him to the present - the kids running back and forth between the railings to watch the surfers, the tourists taking photos, the couples simply enjoying the sights. 

 

“Yeah, it feels a lot better to say in the least,” Keith said, giving Shiro a heartfelt look, and the two find a bench right next to the Ruby’s Diner at the end of the pier. It’s as if the two are suspended over the middle of the sea. The expanse is distinctly two shades of blue from the sky and sea, yet the uneasiness of the perpetual waves was surprisingly not uncomfortable. 

 

“It’s a bit less overwhelming here. You’re in a lot more control,” Shiro said looking out and resting his arm over Keith’s shoulder.

 

“Mm..” sighed Keith as he gently lied his head on Shiro’s shoulder, staring towards the waves once again. The strong sea breeze was not so far off from the strong desert winds blowing through his hair as he had raced Shiro through the canyons. 

 

Shiro noticed the small tug of a smile from Keith as he stole a glance. He then pulled Keith even closer, but he hardly noticed under the trance of nostalgia. 

 

With Shiro beside him, perhaps the beach wasn’t so bad. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
